Brian Yellen, Long-Time Fellows Coordinator, Departs NE CASC

Brian Yellen, long-time Coordinator of the NE CASC Fellows Program and a research faculty member at UMass Amherst, recently announced his departure from both of his positions to accept an appointment as Massachusetts State Geologist. At NE CASC, Yellen has guided our Fellows Program to new heights, helping more than 90 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers develop skills needed to work across disciplinary and organizational boundaries, form beneficial partnerships, and excel as climate adaptation science professionals. Yellen has also distinguished himself as a vital presence in the NE CASC community, proving to be a generous colleague, talented community-builder, and effective leader. While we will miss Brian’s engaging personality and many contributions to NE CASC, we wish our friend and colleague the best as he embarks on a new chapter in his career and look forward to collaborating with him in his new role.

Yellen’s efforts have received widespread acclaim from fellows while also earning high marks from the external evaluators who recently conducted a five-year review of the center. Among his many successes was his innovative idea to transform large fellows cohorts into small, self-directed online working groups that study a single climate adaptation-related topic of interest to group members. In addition to fostering strong working relationships among participants, the groups helped strengthen the fellows connection to NE CASC’s core mission of producing actionable science and have yielded a range of impressive final products, such as scholarly manuscripts on translational ecology and flood vulnerability, information sheets outlining approaches to Tribal engagement and coproduction, a guide to conducting inclusive fieldwork, a list of best practices for public speaking, and many others. Yellen has also organized and led multi-day intensives to field locations such as the Berkshires and Adirondacks, meticulously planned events well known for seamlessly achieving multiple objectives in just a few short but action-packed days.   Last year’s intensive in the Adirondacks, for instance, allowed fellows to:

• Directly observe adaptive management in action and discuss barriers to implementing them with resource managers
• Gain a better understanding of how climate change is impacting natural resources through visits to remote sites; 
• Expand their knowledge of career development options and strategies by interacting with guest speakers working in government, academia and NGOs; 
• Sharpen skills in stakeholder engagement, research communication, and structured decision making. 

Like many of Yelllen’s other contributions to the Fellows Program, the intensives have far exceeded expectations, with fellows often describing them as “confidence-boosting”, “rewarding”, “inspirational,” and “transformative” experiences.

In his new appointment as Massachusetts State Geologist, Yellen will expand his research portfolio by  working with state agencies on a variety of projects related to environmental health, such as the creation of resilient coastlines, maintaining water quality during floods and droughts, and helping facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This work will complement his recent investigations of tidal marsh development, dam removal impacts, and estuarine sediment transport. Although Yellen is leaving the NE CASC team, he says that the center has left a permanent impression on him. “Working at NE CASC has amplified my commitment to developing actionable science, taught me about the centrality of relationships in achieving impactful results, and broadened and deepened my knowledge of climate adaptation,” he said. “I am fortunate to have collaborated with such a talented and diverse group of fellows from whom I have learned so much. My experience at NE CASC has shaped the way I see myself as a scientist and has played a crucial role in preparing me for this next stage of my career. I look forward to applying the many lessons I have learned at NE CASC to benefit the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as State Geologist.”